Litophyton bumastum (Verseveldt, 1973)

van Ofwegen, Leen P., 2016, The genus Litophyton Forskal, 1775 (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea, Nephtheidae) in the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean, ZooKeys 567, pp. 1-128 : 8

Taxon classification Animalia Alcyonacea Nephtheidae

Litophyton bumastum (Verseveldt, 1973) Figures 1G, 17, 18, 19

Nephthea bumasta Verseveldt, 1973: 98, figs 22-23 (Madagascar).

Material examined.

RMNH Coel. 8045, the holotype, Madagascar, Nosy Be, Pte. Lokobe, 8 m depth.

Diagnosis.

Litophyton with adaxial side of polyps without sclerites; interior stalk with pointed spindles up to 1.5 mm long; a few have blunt ends.

Distribution.

Madagascar.

Remarks.

The species is sufficiently described by Verseveldt (1973: 98). Here I show the drawing of the polyp as presented by Verseveldt (1973: fig. 22a). The colony, which was not shown by Verseveldt (Figure 17), together with SEM images of the sclerites (Figures 18-19).

Litophyton bumastum is the only Litophyton species in the western Indian Ocean described with the adaxial side of the polyps lacking sclerites.